What the Hell, It's Only the National Attic
GAO Faults Smithsonian Upkeep and Security
Leaks and Vandalism Threaten Collections
Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, September 29, 2007; Page A01
Deteriorating Smithsonian facilities have damaged historic airplanes, threatened collections and resulted in the leakage of tens of millions of gallons of water at National Zoo enclosures, while cuts in security staff have exposed artifacts in the institution's 18 museums to vandalism and theft, the Government Accountability Office reported yesterday.
A backlog of construction and maintenance projects at the Smithsonian has ballooned to $2.5 billion, the GAO said, in part because Smithsonian officials insist that most facility repairs and upgrades be paid for through federal appropriations and not private money. The government provides 70 percent of the Smithsonian's money -- $715 million last year.
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Well, you can't blame everything on George Bush, …